Thomas County cat. [volume] (Colby, Kan.) 1885-1891, 1887-10-27

"Why do you call them the circus
Blacks?" asked.
Every body knows them by that
municipality. / suppose, because they
act and dress as if they belonged to
circus, and l have heard legend to
the effect that Mrs Black once Travelled
with circus. Black first saw her
when she was performing her great
bareback feat on a couple OF wild
steeds Of the prairies at Sacramento
City, where he kept tailor's shop. He
got into mines after he was married.
and that's how he made his money"
At this momsEt the circus Blacks
swept by us in solemn and stately pro-
cession. There really was something
about them that suggested that the
"grand entree" of we'll regulated Cir
Gus company opening the performance,
the crack of the rins-master's whip be-
ing represented by the sarcastic click
of Mrs. Penderlip's eye-glas,.
Mr.. Black was a short, stout man
with stubby beard. His bald spot
just came up to Mrs. Blacks mag
nificent diamond necklace. Mrs.
Black was unquestionably fine figure
of woman. Plump. black-halred.
rosy-cheeked. in her yellow satm train
almost covered with point lace. and,
with the upper portion of her vigorous
frame dressed chiefly in diamonds. she
looked like the very goddess of bullion.
Behind Mr.. and Mrs. Black walked
two little girls. One was about four
teen, dark. plain, and scowling, dressed
in pea-green silk, with her hair in pig
tails and horrible red coral necklace
reposing on her collar-bone like the
marks of the hangman's rope. The
younger girl was blonde, smiling and
coquettish. The real Valenciennes pet
ticoat arrangement which she wore
over light blue silk slip stopped short
above her knees. Her infantile and
very bare bosom sustained several
rows of costly pearls. and in her ears
she had large sing diamonds which
cleaned against her yellow locks like
the lantern of an honest miner against
the walls of productive gold mine.
am only a man. and consequently
not posted in details of female attire,
but gathered the impression that the
younger Miss Black was. to put it mild
~, insufficiently clad. was glad for
her sake that the room was warm.
Apparently my views were shared by
| Mrs. Penderlip.
Just look at Pussy Black!" she ex-
claimed, in a Mortified tone.
'She looks like ballet-girl or cir
Gus rider. The story about her mother
must be true. They say blood will
tell. Those long silk stockings tit like
tights.
Miss Pussy Black turned her pretty
head at that moment and caught my
admiring eye. She smiled, in swee!
and not displeased surprise, and l rec
ognized the interesting young heroine
of the amateur tobogganing episode.
When the royal progress of the cir
Gus Blacks was over. when Pussy's
papa was taking his whisky straight in
company with other mining million
aires in retired corner of the ''pala.
tial mansion" when Pussy's mamma
was discussing servants wages with
the proudest matronage of glorious
California, l looked for Miss Pussy
with intent to claim her hand in the
giddy waltz. l found her sitting in a
corner with dozen youthful dandies
in pumps and frizzes about her. She
was queening it with right good will,
and there wasn't female creature
within twenty feet of her. She had
learned thus early to dispense with
chaperones.
Miss Pussy affected Indifference to-
ward me at first with coquetry that
was quite mature, but her vanity was
presently kindled by the thought of be-
ing the object of growa-up attendants,
and the little dancing schoolboys were
sent about their business. We danced
and flirted. and pulled those swapping.
turtle things which do perennial duty
at children's parties. and exchanged
| "oeeooS "hu CSCu piCusScu cstCu oluCl
in champagne. l hinted to Miss Pussy
that l should like to make the &C.
quaintance of her mother in order to
be able to call upon herself. Pussy
only opened her blue eyes wide and
said, demurely:
"Oh, you needn't mind ma. have
plenty of gentlemen calling on me.
Mas generally out shopping in the
daytime. If she's in we can sit in the
hall. The chambermaid in the hote
lets me do every thing l want to, be
cause l gave her my turquoise ear
rings. I was tired of 'em. They
weren't fashionable any more"
When l returned to the hotel found
a telegram summoning me to the East.
1 left San Francisco the next day. Be
fore l went I sent to Miss Pussy Black
the finest box of sugar plums that the
city of the golden gate could supply
| FOllOwinO sO closolr IN Tho hools IF q